1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive axle with a drive motor and two reduction gearsets, in particular in the form of planetary gearsets located on the ends of the axle. The reduction gearsets are provided to drive the respective wheels, and the power flow from the drive motor to the driven wheel via an input stage and at least one final stage of the reduction gearsets.
2. Background of the Invention
Drive axles are used in motor vehicles. Reduction gearsets are located between a drive motor and the driven wheels to achieve a corresponding reduction of the speed of rotation and thus an increase in the torque transmitted to the driven wheels. Each transmission has at least one transmission stage. In drive axles of the prior art, the reduction gearset is in the form of a multi-stage reduction gear train, in particular a planetary gear train, generally having two stages, whereby the first transmission stage forms an input stage and the second transmission stage forms a final stage. Such drive axles with a two-stage planetary gear train as the reduction gearset therefore have two planetary gear trains with a total of four planetary stages. On two stage reduction gearsets which are in the form of spur gear systems, there are four transmission stages. The result is a complex and expensive construction for the drive axle.